Why garden centres?

[TheoriginalLEM]

Why are they chowing garden centres to be allowed to open?

It's been nice weather so people have been doing stuff in the gardens, i get it, so have we. But itsnot really essential for me to buy a load of bedding plants or wander aimlessly around a garden centre because I've bugger all else to do.

I can't help but wonder if the weather had been pants if we would be opening them?

Garden centres’ main customer base is retired people. The Tory party’s most important voter base is retired people. The Tories are pandering to their own supporters, as all political parties who win elections do

And yet on other threads, they are being accused of murdering the over 70’s. So which is it?

I think it’s basically for economic reasons; because the whole industry could collapse if they don’t sell their stock and it all rots. And because the R number is below 0 so they figure they can relax a few small things without it becoming disastrous.

1. Many of the plants would die or be unsellable otherwise.

Ornaments, pictures, clothes and such-like items will not die, because they are not alive.

1. Even the stock that is not dead maybe very hard to sell later. This is the point of maximum income for garden centres.
2. People can actually do something with the stuff when they get it home, so for an hour's trip to a garden centre by one person, and family of four could be occupied away from a screen for 8 hours each. this in turn will reduce the nation's paracetamol consumption for headaches.
3. When people go for walks they can enjoy seeing the plants that other people have put in their front gardens. (But maybe not very posh front gardens ;)
4. Quite a lot of garden centres are quite big and have their own carparks - this allows more queuing and social distancing will probably be possible. Staff will be able to keep away 2m from customers mostly.
5. People don't try plants on in the way that they try clothes or makeup on.
6. So far the government has not consulted me on my rather elaborate plan to allow new shoes to be bought for children between the ages of 1 and 10 years old, only, where they have outgrown the old ones.

*below 1

To tempt the old people into catching the virus, why else?

And yet on other threads, they are being accused of murdering the over 70’s. So which is it?

Anyone saying that knows nothing about British politics. Why on earth would the Tories want to kill off their own core vote?

Older people have made their contribution to the world through the long years they worked and the taxes they paid.

Not all of them and anyway paying taxes isn't some moral choice...it's deducted from your wages for most people

Children have contributed what?

What would you like them to contribute? Climbing up chimneys?

Most of them are little princes and princesses who have never known a days hardship in their lives.

That's good isn't it...or do you wish hardship on children?

Personally, I think closing their schools is a hardship.

Children have given up more than anyone else during this lockdown. No thanks from anyone. I do hope the elderly will show some respect to them once this is over

What exactly have children given up? The people who have given up more than anyone else are those who are currently reduced to living on universal credit. And the NHS and care and supermarket staff, not to mention bin men and delivery drivers. All children have had to do is stay at home.

And yet on other threads, they are being accused of murdering the over 70’s. So which is it?

The 70+ tory voters are going to be fine to self-isolate in their country homes or London town houses. No votes to lose - they probably have retired and are living from the fruits of their hardly-ever-did-a-job labour
Even Boris' own father didn't take this all too seriously - there's something about older tory voters that make them feel the exception to the rule.

@formerbabe will you stop trolling and picking fights? EVERYBODY is important, ok? Not just your kids, not just old people, EVERYBODY is important.

What exactly have children given up?

Their education
Their sports and activities
Seeing their friends and family...yes everyone has but socialization is more important for their development.

My own dc is missing appointments for certain things.

Do you believe elderly people would have made such sacrifices if the situation were reversed and children were dying from this disease?

Because they are disproportionately loved by Tory voters

Not just your kids, not just old people, EVERYBODY is important.

That's true so why open garden centres? Why can't they relax some rules that will make a positive impact on children?

formerbabe
My kids have always loved gardening and garden centres.
I have been donating plants to the kids next door
( a sunflower and a yellow tomato plant make an excellent 1st birthday lockdown present )
Teaching kids about the gentle passage of the seasons through gardening is a good thing

so rather than resenting the OAPs at a garden centre,
take your kids there
let them each buy three edible plants
and enjoy them for the season

Seeing their friends and family...yes everyone has but socialization is more important for their development

Children are living in households with other people to engage with and entertain them. Forgive me if I keep my sympathy for people living alone who may not have had a conversation or any human contact for seven weeks.

Because they are disproportionately loved by Tory voters

Yeah you’re right. All the labour voters I know have burst couches and broken washing machines in their gardens

Garden centres are popular destinations for us oldies and so good for mental health to walk around even if we don’t buy anything. It’s a bit like how you youngsters might walk around Westfield or something. We feel safe walking around a garden centre than the local area

"Do you believe elderly people would have made such sacrifices if the situation were reversed and children were dying from this disease?"

Many older people went through a war to preserve peace for trolls like you and your right to drag up spoiled bratlets

It's low risk and plants are already dying. Also, lots of people (inc me) are gardening as one of their exercises and growing fruit and veg in case things get REALLY bad.

Many older people went through a war to preserve peace for trolls like you and your right to drag up spoiled bratlets

This isnt the 1980s where all old people you'd see had lived through the war...it's a tiny number of people now who lived through ww2

spoiled bratlets

So its fine to speak like this about young children yet you have the cheek to call me a troll?

Gardening is good outdoor exercise.
Gardening is good for mental health
Gardening is useful - growing veg etc to eat...

Why not garden centres - would you rather something useful like nail bars/tanning salons/ ... now if they were opening them moan but something useful like a garden centre... why moan?

My 75 and 89yo in laws will he round the garden centres like a fucking whippet when they reopen as will lots of other older people.

All the garden centres round here are massive and mostly inside with everything from food halls to clothes to toys so I just don’t agree they can open because their outside

There's lots of legitimate reasons why they would open, however I have no plans to visit one in the near future. I'm not so desperate for a few plants that I'd be happy standing in a long queue for them.

Why not garden centres - would you rather something useful like nail bars/tanning salons/

The beauty industry mainly involves physical contact so obviously not